Friction-clutch.



M. S. SLA-GHI' & T. J. KELLY.

FRICTION CLUTCH. APPLIUATION FILED SEPT. 1, 190s.

Patented Sept. 7, 1909.

W/ 7'NESSE S A 7TOHNEYS narran sTArEs-g PATENT carros.

MILTON SHAKESPEARE SLAGHT'AND THOMAS 'JOSEPH KELLY, OF EVERETT,

. WASHINGTON.

FRICTION-CLUTCI-I.

` Applicaton'led September 1, 1908. Serial No. 451,148.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. '7, 1909.

body, and frictional locking means interven-` ing between the rim andthe body.y ,In such a clutch, the rim may be connected with one portionof a' machine and the hub and shaft therein with a cooperating portionthereof, and in operation a step by step rotatable motion be transmittedfrom one part of the mechanism to the other. Furthermore, in this styleof clutch, the parts connected therewith may be permitted to operateinde-` pendently, as may be necessary for the proper operation vof themachine as anen'- tirety. y

One purpose of our invention is to provide novel details ofconstruction, for a friction clutch of the character indicated, whichare simple, durable, practical, f quick in opera-y tion, not liable toslip, and that will positively lock together two parts of a Amachinethey are connected with, so that said parts will coperate, or releasesaidv parts instantly, when this isv essential for the proper oper`ation of the parts connected by the improved clutch.

The improvement is` particularly well' The invention consists in thenovel construction and combination of parts, as is khereinafterdescribedand defined in the appended claims. y

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views. i t

Figure'l is a sideview of the improved clutch, a side wall thereof theposition of which is defined by the arrows in Fig. 2, being removed, andthe securing bolts therefor represented in section; Fig. 2 is a verticaltransverse sectional view of the clutch complete, taken substantially'onthe line 2-2 in Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is a horizontal transverse section ofthe hub section for the clutch, taken substantially on the line 3-3 inFig. 1.

The hub 5 of the central sectionl of the improved clutch, is bored atthe center, pr.0-

viding 'a transverse circular aperture a therein, and upon the peripheryof the hub, a radial body portion 5a is formed having a ycircular edge bthat is concentric with the bore of the hub.

In the body portion 5a and extending inwardly from the peripheralsurface b, a plurality of equally spaced recesses or pockets c areformed, which have equal length andsimilardepth, said pockets leavingnarrow dividing walls d remain intact with the body portion 5a. Thebottom walls e of the pockets 0 are curved, so as to render themslightly convex, and are disposed eccentric to the periphery b, thusgradually diminishing iii proper andequal degree the depth of thepockets from one end wall Z toward a corresponding end wall in thedirection of the curved arrow a: in Fig..1.

.In each pocket c, a cylindrical roller g is placed, having a diameterslightly less vthan the depth ofthe pocket at the deepest g in acorresponding roller g, as shown inl Fig. 2.

The rim section Groftheclutch is annular,y

ind of somewhat greater thickness than the body portion 5a, saidrim'havinga truek cen# tral borethatreceives the periphery b' of saidbody portion, whereon the rini fits loosely. In each side of theannular"rimf6, at the inner edges thereoffan annular recess m is formed,and in said recesses thesimilar side walls 64 ofthe clutch, areseate'dat and near their edges, saidsidefwalls-beingremovably securedin'placeby pins u, asindicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

In the inner surface of each side wallG, at a point that will dispose itopposite the journal ends. z" of the springs 72., an annular vchannel 0is formed, which channelsafford clearance for the limbs z' whereon saidjournal-'ends are formed, and itis to vbe under# stood-that the rollersvg are ofzsuch proportionate length that they willbe permitted torotate,-and also'to slide in the pockets c they respectively occupy.

'It' will be noted that when the rim 6 and side walls G1 arek mountedupon the body portion 5a, -said rim on its innery surfacewill close theopen outer side of; each pocket c and -be adapted for an engagementtherewith ofthe rollers lg.

A shaft is fitted -andzsec-ured inthe Vbore a and represents one memberof'a machine or device that is to be controlled by the improved frictionclutch.

Upon the periphery of the annular rim G, two spaced ears 6b' areradially formed, be-

' tween which one endioif ana-'rm' S is pivoted by atransversebolt'cgsaid arm'which ap-` pears broken away in Fig; 1, inservice is extended to engage with `another portion i of themechanism,not shown,.that is actuated byl the frictionfclutch. Opposite the ears6b, a single similar ear 6e is preferably formed on the rim sectionG,yto serve as asubstitute forl the connection `ofthe arm Stherewith, incase the ears 6br become uselessfrom wear or other cause; andthe'si-ngle ear is per- Y forate'dicentrally to lreceive a pivot bolt.

In operation,.it will be seen-that'when a rotatable impulse in thedirection of the arrow a2 in Fig. lis givenfto the rim 6,the rollers gwill instantly respond to such a movement and roll or slide toward theend walls z', due to the pullof the .springs aand without jar orabrasion of surfaces, lock together the rim section@ and the bodyportion 5a secured to the shaft 7.

ltwill be noted ithat as-tlie pair ofsprings /L employed in cooperationwith each roller g, pull with equal tension on the ends of saidroller,`the rollers will always be maintained parallel with each otherand with the shaft 7.

While the clutch will hold rigidly if the hub 5l and body portion 5a aremoved in the direction of the arrow m, it will be evident 'that if therim portion 6 is retarded in speed, so that the rim 6 travels slowerthan the hub or shaft 7 the rollers will move in the direction of thearrow and the clutch members will instantly be released, and shift loneupon the other until the speed of the rim portion 6 is-again increasedin the direction'ofl the arrow which will again lock :the sections of'the clutch together.

Itis claimed for this device that it is `generally applicable, where itis desired to give'astepby-step rotary motion to parts of mechanism, orto'positively lock two ele- Ements together for silnultaneous rotation,

until a change in operation requirestheir ginstantrelease.

The center section may be described as a diskV provided v on `itsperiphery with pockets having bottoms inclined in the same direction;

Havingftliusdescribed our invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent:

l. A clutch comprising a disk provided'on its'peripl'ieral surface withtransverse pockets whose bottom walls are inclined in the sameldirection, a rim section encircling the disk, a roller' in each pocket,and a pair of springs for each roller, said springsliaving oneend-connected with the end of the roller end wall of thepocket andengaging the perforation with its other end for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination with a body portion having a central aperture, a shaftfixed` therein, the body portion having a periphery concentric with theshaft and having a plurality of pockets formed therein extended inwardfrom the periphery and spaced apart by radial end-walls, the bottom wallof each pocketbeing disposed eccentric to the periphery ofthe bodyportion, of` an annular rim section rotatably mounted upon the peripheryofthe body portion, said rim section having anannular recess in eachinner edge thereof,l a side wall havingy a central opening. and=securedat its edge in a respective recess, said side walls each having anannulOO llO

lar channel in the inner side thereof, a cylindrioal roller in eachpocket, said roller having in each enol an axial perforation, a coiledspring for each end of each roller, Said spring having one end connectedWith the end Wall of the pocket and the other with the perforation inthe end of the roller, and an arm loosely secured by one end on the rimsection.

In testimonyv whereof We have signed our 10 names to this specioatlon inthe presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

MILTON SHAKESPEARE SLAGHT. THOMAS JOSEPH KELLY.

' Witnesses A. E. PEAKE, G. lll. JENKS.

